Albanian TV channel Zjarr made headlines in 2016 for using braless, scantily clad news anchors to attract viewers\u2014a bold move that continues to stir debate. In a conservative country with a history of media censorship, the station’s owner, Ismet Drishti, defended the format as a symbol of transparency: \u201cWe present the news as it is \u2014 naked.\u201d<\/p>\n
The approach boosted ratings and turned anchors like Enki Bracaj into stars. Bracaj, a PR student at the time, said she wanted to stand out in a competitive field. After posing for Playboy, however, she was dismissed for crossing a line, highlighting the tension between shock value and cultural boundaries.<\/p>\n
Her replacement, Greta Hoxhaj, embraced the same revealing style and quickly rose to fame. Critics called the format sexist, while others argued it simply gave viewers a choice. Despite the controversy, Zjarr TV received little pushback from journalist groups, and its anchors remained popular, especially online.<\/p>\n
As the debate over objectification vs. innovation continues, presenter Hoxhaj says she\u2019s unfazed: \u201cI\u2019m doing well, living a beautiful life \u2014 and never short on flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n